Blasting explosive



Patented June 14, 1938 FATE BLASTING EXPLO SIVE Milo A. Nice, Hazleton, Pa., assignor to Hercules Powder Company, Wilmington, DeL, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application August 13, 1936, Serial No. 95,841

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved blasting explosive, and more particularly to a non-gelatinous blasting explosive of high density.

Blasting explosives comprise, in general, sofollows: called straight dynamites, which contain ni- 5M troglycerin in mixed absorbent, ammonia dynamites, which contain as explosive nitroglycerin, Permit i ffi nitrate of ammonia and a mixed absorbent, geladynamlte yc nitrate tin dynamites, which contain a colloided mixture of nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose as ex- 40 22 26 10,, plosive, and mixed absorbent, and ammonia 33 g; gelatin dynamites, inwhioh a part of the nitroglycerin of a gelatin dynamite is replaced by nitrate of ammonia. and found that I thereby obtained a density Of the above described dynamites, the gelatin corresponding to 106 1 x8 cartridges per 15 dynamite has the greatest density and the high- 50 lbs., or a density of such that such cartridges est Water resistance, and ammonia dynamites will not readily sink in water or mud. the lowest density and poorest water resistance, I have found that ammonia dynamites having with straight dynamites intermediate between a density corresponding to about 106 or more the two. 1 /4"x8" cartridges per 50 lbs. will not sink 20 In the manufacture of ammonia dynamites readily in water or mud in a borehole, whereas it has been the tendency, in the past, to incorammonia dynamites having adensity correspondporate as much nitrate of ammonia as possible, ing to about 90-100 1%" x 8" cartridges per 50 because of its cheapness, combined with its proplbs. will sink readily in water or mud in a boreerties as an explosive and nitroglycerin substihole. tute. However, such substitution of nitrate of Now in accordance with this invention I have ammonia for nitroglycerin had the added result found that by incorporating as little as about of decreasing the density of the dynamite. This 0.1% to about 0.4% of nitrocellulose in the above decrease in density of the dynamite may be, in compositions, I obtain a surprising increase in some cases, desirable, e. g., where a lessened density, or a number of 1%" x8 cartridges per shattering eifect of the dynamite is desired, but 50 lbs. of 90-100, i. e., a density such that caralso may be, in some cases, undesirable, e. g., in tridges thereof will sink in water or mud. Such loading holes containing water or mud when the densities as the latter render loading of boredensity of the dynamite is so low that it will not holes containing water or mud easy, because this sink into the water or mud. In the latter cases density of such cartridges is such that they sink great difiiculty is experienced in loading the borein water or mud. hole. This result, i. e., the great increase in density Ammonia dynamites, as heretofore manufacof the ammonia dynamites, is quite unexpectured, a made in Strengths ing f om ed and one which I have been unable to explain. to 60%. While my invention is applicable to all The addition of such relatively small quantities 40 these strengths, it is of the most importance in of nitrocellulose to the nitroglycerin could afthe 40%, 50%, and 60% strengths, since lower feet the specific gravity of the nitroglycerine only strengths are used in much smaller quantities. inappreciably, yet the dynamites produced there- Customarily, a 40% ammonia dynamite, as with exhibit utterly unexpected increases in denmade heretofore, contains about 14% nitroglycsity. In addition to the advantageous increase erin and about 37% nitrate of ammonia, a in density, I obtain an increased water-resist ammonia dynamite about 16% nitroglycerin ance of the dynamite, which allows the carand about 49% nitrate of ammonia, and a tridges to remain under water, without substanammonia dynamite about 20% nitroglycerin tial deteriorations, for a much greater length of and about 5'7 nitrate of ammonia, in addition time than is the case with ordinary ammonia 50 to the mixed absorbent. Such dynamites all have a density corresponding to an average of In an attempt to increase the density of such OFFICE dynamites I increased the content of nitroglycerin and decreased the nitrate of ammonia, as

dynamites.

It will be appreciated that my improved am- 1 x8" cartridges per 50 lbs., i. e., a density such that cartridges of such dynamite will not readily sink in water or mud.

monia dynamites of high density are not gelatin dynamites, since they do not have the gelatinous consistency of the latter, and are packed into car- 55 tridges by the use of a machine used for loading non-gelatinous dynamite, instead of by the use of a squeezer or gelatin packing machine.

Percent Percent Percent Nitroglycerin 22. 0 24. 0 27. 0 Nitrocotton 2 2 2 Ammonium nitrate. 25. 0 36. 0 45. 6,

Ammonia dynamites in accordance with the above formulae are characterized by a surprising increase in density, e. g. 92-95 1%x8" cartridges per 50 lbs., i. e. of such density that cartridges thereof Will readily sink in water or mud in a borehole.

It will be appreciated that the above compositions are for illustrative purposes only, and that I may make various modifications thereof without departing from the essence of my invention, which comprises broadly a non-gelatinous blasting explosive of high density comprising a liquid explosive, nitrocellulose, nitrate of ammonia and active mixed absorbent, having a density,

when packed in cartridges, such that said cartridges will sink in water or mud.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A non-gelatinous blasting explosive comprising an explosive liquid nitric ester, nitrocellulose, ammonia nitrate, and a non-detonating absorbent, and having a density corresponding to from about to about 1% x 8" cartridges per 50 pounds, the ammonium nitrate being present in an amount between about 26% to about 46% of the mixture, and the explosive liquid nitric ester being present in amount between about 22% and about 28% of the mixture.

2. A non-gelatinous blasting explosive comprising nitroglycerin, nitrocellulose, ammonium nitrate, and a non-detonating absorbent, and having a density corresponding to from about 90 to about 100 1 4" x 8" cartridges per 50 pounds, the ammonium nitrate being present in an amount between about 26% to about 46% of the mixture, and the nitroglycerin being present in amount between about 22% and about 28% of the mixture.

3. A non-gelatinous blasting explosive comprising nitroglycerin from about 22% to about 27%,

nitrocellulose about 0.2 ammonium nitrate from about 25% to about 45.5%, sodium nitrate from about 36.7% to about 16.4%, wood pulp from 0% to about 2%,,fiour from about 11.6% to about 5.4%, sulfur from about 4% to about 3%, chalk about 0.5%, and having a density corresponding to from about 90 to about 100 1% x 8" cartridges per 50 pounds.

MILO A. NICE. 

